It took us a full hour to complete our tasks, though Papi's distractibility made it more complicated. She was constantly drawn away from the job at hand by the sight of children playing, and there was even a strange incident with silverware and a birdbath that I would rather not talk about. Nevertheless, we eventually finished our tasks.

Despite the difficulties, it was a triumphant expedition; I mused as we trudged back to my house, our arms laden with the spoils from the grocery store. As much as I yearned to soar back home, there was too much to bear, and I needed Papi to take some of the plastic bags filled with groceries.

Of course, that also meant she got privileged and exclusive early access to the snacks.

"Papi, why don't you leave some of those delicious chocolate-covered pocky sticks for the rest of us, okay? I don't want you to get stomach ache by overeating!"

"Kay~" Papi replied teasingly, indicating there was no chance she would do what I asked. She hummed a cheerful melody I didn't recognize, seemingly delighted with the current situation.

I sighed but decided to let it go. It was a minor issue, and I didn't want to spoil her mood over something insignificant.

We rounded the corner onto the street that Kurusu's house was on, and we were met with an unusual and unexpected sight.

A tall, mysterious figure cloaked in a maroon high-collar shirt and light coat attempted to remain inconspicuous as they vigilantly observed the house. Blonde hair framed a face with purple slit eyes pointed ears, and a distinctive green scale pattern running along their cheeks. The long, green tail that extended out from the bottom of the coat coiled carefully around their legs with restrained energy.

"Wow," I exhaled, taken aback by Draco the dragonewt's presence here of all places. I didn't expect her to show up until Kurusu and Miia had gone out on more dates, but it appeared as if she was monitoring the house before the romantic aquarium outing. It had a certain macabre, stalker-ish feel; was there any better way to learn your beloved's daily routine than to keep a constant eye on their home?

"Hey, big brother?" Papi looked at me with a look of confusion and concern. "What's wrong? Are you alright?"

"Yeah," I answered distractedly, pondering the best way to tackle this predicament. "However, hold on a second. Something doesn't seem right."

Papi noticed my hushed and concerned tone, so she approached me and asked, "What's wrong?" Her gaze shifted to the tall figure near the house. "Is it that handsome lizard man?"

I nodded. "I think that person is a girl. I'm unsure why she's standing outside the house, though..." That was a lie, but I hoped that pretending to ponder the situation with her would keep Papi occupied for long enough for me to devise a plan to handle Draco.

"Let's go ahead and see what the pretty lizard has to say," said Papi before running forward, flapping her wings happily. "HELLO!"

Right. This was Papi.

"Wait!" I yelled desperately, sprinting after her as quickly as possible while still maintaining my grip on the valuable items.

Draco flinched in surprise at the loud and unexpected greeting, but she quickly recovered, flashing a polite smile and fixing us with an unwavering gaze. She remained silent until we had both reached her before addressing us.

"Greetings," Draco declared in a rich, gender-neutral voice, their majestic purple eyes scrutinizing Papi and me. "What can I do for you?"

"Hi! I'm Papi!" My blue-feathered companion beamed at her with a wide smile. "We were just wondering why you were standing outside our house!"

The façade cracked slightly, the upward tilt on Draco's lips twitching.

I cleared my throat, embracing Papi's straightforward approach to the situation. "We've had to be on our guard against unsavory characters trying to infiltrate the house before, so we're just being careful. I'm Aki, by the way."

"Draco," she bluntly stated, turning her head to face the house. "What kind of unsavory people?" she asked with a tone of trepidation, her reptilian hands clenched in apprehension. I quirked an eyebrow at her question, but I kept my silence.

"I need more information than just your name if I'm going to tell you something so important," I said, scrutinizing her and paying particular attention to her tail. "For example, why aren't you with a host family?"

"Ah, yes, of course," she replied hastily, tapping her chin thoughtfully with a claw. "You see, my host works often, so I've been granted exclusive permission by the Cultural Exchange to explore the human culture independently. This way, I can gain a more in-depth understanding of the culture without being cooped up in the house all the time."

I slowly shook my head, not believing a single word of it. Even without my extensive knowledge of the series, I had done my research on the Cultural Exchange Bill and knew that there were few exceptions to the "no host, no outside" rule. The only exceptions I could name off the top of my head were the members of MON due to their significant roles within the organization that granted them that special permission.

I confess that it was unjust to pair liminals with hosts who lacked time to take them out - an egregious mistake in the utterly flawed Cultural Exchange Bill. I fervently wish for the Bill to be amended sooner rather than later for the benefit of my friends and better liminal-human relations.

I knew Draco had snuck out to stalk Miia, and I had to find a way to prevent it.

"You need special pessimism to do that?!" Papi asked, eyes wide, "I just go out whenever I want, and everything's okay!"

"Special permission," I corrected sternly, "And we've reminded you countless times that you cannot do that, Papi."

She apologized with a sheepish grin, tapping her forehead as she said, "Tee hee, I keep forgetting! Sorry!"

"Hmm," I muttered, resisting the urge to give in to the cuteness. "Anyway, you are given special permission to go out alone. But why are you here then?"

"Oh, I often take a stroll through this neighborhood, and I had simply paused here to admire this exquisite house," Draco lied through her teeth, "It must have recently been refurbished to accommodate a sizeable number of liminals, am I right?"

Okay, I think I've had enough of this.

"Papi, why don't you grab something to eat? I'll join the others shortly," I said, not taking my eyes off Draco. "Could you let them know I'll be right behind you?"

"Kay!" she happily replied, "Bye-bye, pretty lizard!" At that, she darted inside.

I cautiously stepped forward, sizing up Draco and assessing my next move. Dragonewts were among the most formidable liminal species, and Draco had already proven to be a powerful adversary by overpowering Miia in the original canon. Although they weren't necessarily as strong as ogres, I knew that they were still far too strong for a mere human such as myself. I had to be very careful.

I wouldn't sacrifice my strength and dignity to maintain peace with her.

"Is that the only reason you're here?" I inquired, disregarding her previous question.

Draco's smile faded. "Yes," she replied firmly, her eyes narrowed. "Do you doubt me?"

"Well, as I mentioned, we've had our share of suspicious characters lurking around here recently—just yesterday. So forgive me if I'm a bit on edge seeing A stranger in a coat just standing outside the house and staring. Can you blame me for being cautious?"

"I suppose not," Draco replied, the tension slightly dissipating, "I can assure you, That I have nothing but the best intentions."

Yeah, for yourself and regardless of what Miia wanted.

"And what are your intentions?"

Draco became speechless at that moment, her longing gaze at the house conveying her innermost emotions.

I sighed heavily. "Draco, the head coordinator of the Cultural Exchange Program, and the MON Squad are both in the house right now," I said, emphasizing the point. "It's best if we don't have to drag them out and fact-check your special permission, as the coordinator isn't fond of doing her job - or at least, not all of it."

Draco shuddered yet still managed to remain composed. "Are they really here?" she questioned skeptically. "What could be the reason for their presence?"

"We're friends," I replied calmly, "And Smith-san pops in almost daily to mooch off our food."

"I see..." She hesitated before finally speaking. I was relieved that she had come to a decision. "Well, I would certainly not want that to happen either."

"Glad to hear it," I nodded, impressed by her composed attitude. It seemed only when she encountered Miia or Kurusu that she became aggressive. "So, what brought you here? I assure you, your secret is safe with me."

Draco waited a few moments before... Wait, was she blushing?

"I...um," she stammered, nervously wringing her talons together. What had happened to the proud scion of dragons? "I was hoping to see a certain young woman who lives here..."

"Right," I said, still stunned by the dramatic shift in her attitude after mentioning Miia. I had underestimated the impact the lamia had on her. "Which one, in particular, do you want to know about?"

"Miia," Draco breathed the word in a respectful tone, "She had been so gracious to me before, so I wanted to express my gratitude..." She trailed off, evidently unable to put her appreciation into words.

It was becoming increasingly challenging to treat Draco in a way that reflected her actions in the series. She didn't look like the menacing figure who had attempted to force herself on Miia or murder Kurusu, but simply like a young girl with a crush on someone. However, I knew she possessed the strength to easily overpower me in any altercation, making the situation even more uncomfortable. Moreover, I was utterly confident that there was no chance of Miia ever choosing Draco over Darling.

Oh, unrequited love. Mero would get a kick out of this.

I firmly shook my head. Come on, man. Don't feel sorry for her now; you must find a way out of this situation that doesn't involve Draco attacking anyone.

"I see," I nodded in understanding, "But I think you can talk to her better than just following her around. She likely won't respond positively to that approach, so it's probably best to come up with something else." Unless it was Kurusu doing the following, but that detail can be left out.

"Do you know her well?" Draco asked, eyeing me suspiciously. Oh jeez.

I rolled my eyes. "As a friend only," I assured her. "I've been-"

I was taken aback as Draco abruptly grabbed me by the collar and yanked me closer. "Tell me what she likes!" she demanded, eyes blazing with intensity. "Is she seeing anyone? How long is she staying here? What are her feelings towards dragonewts?"

"What the Hell?!" I exclaimed, trying to free myself from the sudden grip. "Let go of me right now!"

"Not until you tell me everything!" Draco hissed.

"You understand that I already informed Papi that I would be returning shortly, correct?" I countered, "If I'm not back shortly, the coordinator and MON Squad will be on your tail in no time."

I was silently praying that Papi remembered to do that.

She huffed in frustration as she pushed me away and crossed her arms, her expression full of anger. "Alright. But I'm still demanding answers!"

"Later," I said hastily, eager to leave Draco behind. I had almost forgotten what it was like dealing with liminals that didn't stay in control around humans, and I was feeling a bit disconcerted. "Let's meet here at seven tomorrow night. We can talk more then, but for now, I should head in. I'd rather not send Smith-san to confront a liminal outside without authorization. Does that work for you?"

Draco narrowed her eyes at me even more, if it was humanly possible. After a few moments of silence, she heaved a deep sigh and tucked her claws into her pockets.

"Yeah, that works," Draco stated, "Just don't forget it." At that, she walked away without so much as a thank you.

I exhaled deeply, my tense shoulders finally relaxing. I had no clue how to manage the angry dragonewt tomorrow, in addition to my already planned encounter with a raptor, yet another aggressive race.

Shit like this was why I made sure to buy some beer earlier.

To be continued!